In Derelicta Castellum

Chapter 2

Buffy the Slayer

If Buffy was honest, she would have said that the inside of the bar was not a surprise to her. It was dark, a little dingy; a place that would be considered a dive in little Sunnydale. It was a small watering hole for those that were less inclined to be a part of the community. Which, of course, made it the perfect spot for all of the vamps and ghouls waiting to kill her.

Of course, the Devil would take me to the heart of darkness.

That little tidbit of information still rattled her. The Devil himself, Lucifer, was sitting across the booth from her, one leg crossed over his knee. A thin smile rested on his lips and his dark eyes would not move away from her. Of all the villainous foes she had faced in Sunnydale, this charming incarnation of Satan was the one to finally make her feel intimidated and uneasy.

But, she was not the only one to feel that way. Giles, Willow, and Xander all looked like they wanted to squirm in their seats. Giles was the most composed, but even he tapped the tabletop with his fingers as he waited impatiently for drinks to be delivered. Willow shrank into her seat at the booth, trying her best to squeeze further into the corner, away from Lucifer's penetrating stare. She sat across from Detective Decker, who provided only a small measure of comfort for all of them.

Xander, though, was the most uneasy. His leg would not stop bouncing beneath the table. His other foot tapped against the floor. His eyes flitted to and fro between Buffy and Lucifer, as if he was waiting for one of them to snap and attack the other. Because of course Xander would think that would happen. Buffy nearly rolled her eyes at such an idea. She was strong, she had powers, but she doubted she could kill the Devil. A stake through the heart would not put the beast sitting across from them down.

However, it may just kill the other patrons sharing the bar with them. Buffy did not miss the passing glances cast her way from tables off in the darker corners of the bar. They were venomous looks. Treacherous, dangerous, hungry stares. Challenges, all of them. Perhaps they were all vampires, and this was considered their home turf. Regardless, not one of the potential undead moved against her. All of them would avert their gazes whenever Lucifer noticed them staring.

Buffy's mouth fell open. This bar may be a gathering place for the scum of Sunnydale and the demonic undead, but the Devil ruled here. Keep the Devil happy, and her and her friends may walk out of this alive.

She bumped Xander's leg with her foot, making him jump.

"What!?" He cried.

"Apologize to the Devil."

Xander blinked. "I'm sorry, what!?"

"I concur," Giles interrupted. "What?"

"Yes, please," Lucifer's smooth voice slipped through the air. White teeth flashed behind his lips as he gave all four of them a predatory smile. Beside him, Detective Decker frowned. She was not pleased with his behavior, and Buffy found that very interesting. "Have some sympathy for the Devil, and I may have some sympathy for you."

Xander's throat bobbed. He shot a nervous glance back and forth between Buffy and Lucifer. "So, you're actually-"

"Should I do a little parlor trick to convince him?" Lucifer said to Detective Decker, cutting off Xander's fearful jabbering.

The detective folded her arms. "What kind of trick?"

"Oh, you know, something fun-"

"No, Lucifer."

Lucifer's jaw worked back and forth. "You do realize he shoved me, right? Wrinkled my suit even."

"You do realize he is just a kid," Detective Decker argued. "Kids do stupid things, especially teenagers." She looked at Xander. "You better apologize before he decides not to listen to me. That's been known to happen more often than not."

"If he tries to harm Xander he'll find out it won't be so easy," Buffy hissed through clenched teeth. It was one thing to back down in the face of the Devil under any circumstance, but she would not when her friends were threatened.

Lucifer was unperturbed by her threat. Instead, he wagged a finger at her. "I like her spunk, detective. Certainly not as dour as previous Slayers I've encountered." He leaned over the table a little, staring Buffy right in the eye. "You're new to this line of work, aren't you? It hasn't consumed you yet. Have you had to make any difficult choices?"

"Sh-she already died once," Willow stammered. Xander, Giles, and Buffy all shot her a look, telling her to stop. Lucifer gave her a different look, telling her to keep going with a charming smile. "B-but she came back."

"Oh really? Apparently, the gates of hell are wide open for all to come and go as they please. Maintenance must be atrocious due to my absence," Lucifer remarked.

"Do you care?" Detective Decker droned.

"Not particularly. But. when someone as powerful as the Slayer dies then comes back to life, I like to know. The fact that I was unaware is a little upsetting." His lips thinned as he mulled something over in his head. Then with a nod, he leaned back in his seat and gestured at Xander with both hands. "I'm waiting, idiotic teenager. My grace is fleeting."

Xander gulped, sucked in a deep breath, and gave in. "I'm sorry."

"For?"

"Oh, now you're just torturing him," Detective Decker sighed.

"That's sort of in the job description I was given eons ago, yes."

"He said he was sorry," Buffy interrupted. "Can we move on please?"

A snarl twitched at the corner of Lucifer's mouth. Buffy wanted to shrink in her seat and crawl into a ball. Hide from the monster across from her. But, she did not back down. She stood her ground, looking the Devil in the eyes, daring him to try something.

To her shock, it was the Devil that backed down in the end.

"Very well. Apology mostly accepted." Lucifer leaned back in his seat. At that moment, the bartender came over with drinks. Whiskey on the rocks for Lucifer, scotch for Giles, and colas for the Detective and the teens. After taking a sip of his whiskey, Lucifer glances at Giles. "So, I assume you're in the area because you've heard about the untimely demise of one Theresa Klusmeyer?"

"Lucifer, this is an active investigation. We can't talk about it with civilians," Detective Decker warned.

"Believe me, these are not ordinary civilians. They will want to know, and it is better if they do know. I'll explain later," Lucifer said, raising a hand to keep the Detective from arguing with him. "Tell me, Giles, was it? What did you see before the Coroner carted away the corpse?"

Giles's throat bobbed. With one, trembling hand, he reached up, removed his glasses, and wiped at his eyes.

"Blood," The Watcher answered. "A lot of it. The poor girl looked like she had been mauled."

"A werewolf then?" Willow gulped, making Xander pale and Buffy frown. "Or… or is it like those hyenas that ate-"

"Please don't bring that up again," Xander whimpered. "That's not a fun memory to relive."

"If a werewolf is running around Sunnydale then we need to be prepared," Buffy said. She grabbed her coke, popped the straw in her mouth, and took a long sip. "Silver kills them, right Giles?"

"Yes, it-"

"It was not a werewolf," Lucifer interrupted. He swirled his ice in his drink, frowning as he spotted the cubes already melting in the liquor. "Whoever attacked Theresa wanted it to look like that. But, upon closer inspection, Detective Decker and I spotted a lovely bite mark on the throat. I'm sure you can guess what that means."

Buffy's breath caught in her throat. Theresa, kind Theresa, someone completely innocent and unaware of the supernatural events within Sunnydale, was attacked by a vampire? It made her physically ill to think about.

What is with Vampires and the blood of innocents?

"Seeing as we are in the Hellmouth," Lucifer continued, one finger tapping the rim of his glass, "that leaves us with a large suspect pool, does it not?"

"Perhaps," Giles replied. "Although, there is one clan of Vampires wreaking absurd havoc at the moment. They are led by a pair of Vampires named Spike and Drusilla. They-"

Lucifer raised a hand, quieting Giles. His finger stopped tapping his glass. "Did you say Drusilla?"

Giles blinked. "Y-yes, I did."

A long breath left Lucifer's nose. He did not look amused or excited anymore. He looked frustrated, even a bit angry. His jaw tightened as he set his glass down and steepled his fingers, dark gaze giving all four Sunnydale residents a sharp look.

"Is Liam O'Conner running around here?"

Buffy's eyes widened. "What do you know about Angel?"

A sharp laugh shot from Lucifer's lips. "Angel? Is that what he calls himself nowadays? Well, I must hand it to the young man, he certainly never lost his dramatic sense of irony over the centuries." He took a long gulp of his whiskey before continuing. "Well, is he here in Sunnydale or not?"

"He is but," Buffy drew in a deep breath as some painful memories resurfaced. Her gut twisted into knots at the thought of Angel, and her heart beat faster. She wished she could see him now, but doing so would be dangerous. After all, Angel wasn't in his body at the moment, "a demon has repossessed him."

Lucifer's eyes widened, burning with sudden fury. "What?" He growled. "How? That gypsy he killed cursed him. Unless someone…" His mouth opened a little when Willow ducked her head and Xander paled. Buffy also tensed. "You idiots!" He finally roared.

"Lucifer…" Decker shook her head.

"You're right, Chloe, idiots isn't harsh enough. Morons, buffoons, dumbasses even, that's what all of you are!"

For the first time during this entire conversation, Buffy flinched. Again, she swore she saw a brief, crimson glow in Lucifer's dark eyes.

"Whose brilliant idea was it to break the curse on Liam O'Conner? Because, by doing so, you let loose one of the most dangerous Vampires since Dracula himself," Lucifer said, voice shivering with barely contained fury.

Detective Decker's eyes widened. "What?"

"Later darling," Lucifer drawled, his voice softer before immediately reasserting itself to the biting, scolding tone he had before. "Do you know if it is the old demon he had or a new one?"

Buffy swallowed hard. "It said it was nice to be back."

"My father in heaven, you bloody dolts!" Lucifer smacked the table. "Detective, I suggest you call the coroner and tell him to take the rest of the day off before he gets murdered."

Detective Decker didn't question him. She slid out of the booth, grabbed her phone from her pocket, and marched out of the bar door to make the call.

Whatever restraint Lucifer had while she was here vanished. His eyes shifted, burning like fire as he glared with fury at the four Sunnydale residents. His lips parted into a terrifying snarl that set Buffy's heart racing in her chest. Raw, dark power radiated from him in waves, making her head pound and her nerves tingle. Everything in Buffy wanted to run at that moment. But, she found herself petrified in place.

"If Indomitus kills again, I will hold you four responsible."

With that, Lucifer shot up from his seat and marched out of the bar, leaving his whiskey half-finished. The door slammed behind him on his way out, causing Willow to nearly jump into the rafters and Xander to clench his fists. Buffy remained unmoved, staring at the whiskey rippling in Lucifer's glass.

"Buffy?" Giles tapped her shoulder. "Are you alright?"

Buffy's throat bobbed. "We need to find Angel before he does."

Xander shook his head. "I don't think that's a good idea. The Devil seems pretty determined to find him first."

"Exactly," Buffy retorted, whipping her head to Xander. "And if Lucifer finds him first then any chance Angel has of returning to the friend we knew is gone."

"And that's a bad thing?" Xander asked.

Buffy's eyes widened and she raised a hand, ready to smack Xander. But, she stopped herself. Was it such a bad thing? The Angel she knew no longer inhabited the body prowling Sunnydale. The demon inside that body wanted her dead. It wanted others dead. It wanted to feed, sire, and destroy. Such actions were what made monsters like Drusilla and Spike exist in the first place. Maybe she should let Lucifer handle this?

But Angel was my mistake. Buffy sighed. Therefore, he's my responsibility.

"We find him first. Maybe we can fix things then."

Xander hung his head, defeated. Willow pursed her lips and nodded, ready to start. Giles, meanwhile, finished his scotch and twisted to look at Buffy.

"Where do you suggest we start?" He asked.

Buffy pursed her lips. Angel kept a low profile. It would be hard to find him. But… there would be two people, two monsters, who knew exactly where he would be.

"It's been a while since we picked a fight with Spike, don't you think?"

Detective Chloe Decker

Slayers, vampires, werewolves, what was going to come next? Leprechauns? Chloe almost wanted to ask that question out loud, but at this point, she was afraid Lucifer's answer would be a resounding yes.

A frustrated huff left her lips as she strode out of the coroner's office with Lucifer in tow. Thankfully, they both arrived in time to inform the coroner that he should make sure Theresa Klusmeyer's body is extra secure. Lucifer even added that he should leave early, using whatever supernatural suggestion powers he possessed to convince the poor guy. Probably for the best. The last thing Chloe wanted to do was investigate a second murder that could have easily been prevented.

Well, not easily prevented, but at least stopped.

Another long sigh left her lips as she walked down the sidewalk. She took a quick glance at the sky, blinking in surprise when she saw stars winking to life and street lamps turning on along the road. A low whistle came from Lucifer as he glanced around as well.

"My, my," He glanced at the Rolex on his wrist. "Is it that late already? I'm assuming you're hungry, Detective?"

"Given the events of the day, not really," Chloe admitted, not breaking stride.

"That may be the case, but even I know you mortals require sustenance. There has to be some sort of fine establishment in this little backwater." Lucifer's dress shoes clacked against the concrete as he strode alongside Chloe. "What are you in the mood for? Steak, lobster, perhaps something else?"

"This isn't Beverly Hills, Lucifer. The only lobster you'll find here comes from Red Lobster," Chloe droned, causing Lucifer to slow his pace.

"Red Lobster? What on earth is a Red Lobster?"

"Chain restaurant." Chloe had to chuckle a little when Lucifer wrinkled his nose. "It's not bad. The cheddar biscuits are delicious."

"That sounds like something Maze would say to torture a Michelin star chef," Lucifer grumbled. "But, if that is the finest restaurant out here, then that is where we shall go. Can't be too far of a walk now can it?"

Chloe spotted Lucifer glancing behind them and at the various side streets branching away from the road they walked down. That made her feel puzzled, not for the first time during this strange day.

This entire town set Lucifer on edge. But was he afraid? That was the big question. If he was, then Chloe should be petrified. After all, if something scared the Devil, then what would it do to her?

"Everything alright?" She asked as they turned down a different road back onto Sunnydale's main street.

"When in a place like this, it doesn't hurt to keep a good lookout, especially at night."

A wry smile cracked over Chloe's lips. It was after five o'clock, which meant she was no longer on "Duty". That being said, she was still acting in her full capacity as an LAPD detective, which meant she had to maintain a professional persona. But, she probably didn't have to be so uptight this late in the day.

"Worried about someone jumping us?" She asked. "I am armed, Lucifer."

"Your bullets will do nothing to the things that stalk the shadows around here."

He straightened out his blazer as he strutted alongside her on a more crowded main street. One woman in a short sundress walked past them. She glanced over her shoulder at Lucifer, and Chloe expected him to grin back.

But, he did not. He kept his gaze focused ahead, analyzing the various groups of people sharing the sidewalk and eating at the various eateries and bars along the road. The only time Chloe had ever seen him like this was when an actual angel chose to cause havoc in their lives.

"Do you think something will attack us?"

Lucifer's lips thinned. "I'm sure if they're given the opportunity, yes. The wrinkle is that I am the overlord of all unholy things that dwell in this place. They're demons, after all, and I am the king of Hell. Their nature forces them to submit, and they can't really help that. But, that doesn't mean they won't do their damnedest to harm you."

Chloe blinked. "Is that genuine worry I hear from you?"

They both paused beside a burger joint. Chloe waited for an answer. Instead, Lucifer's dark eyes darted to the glass window behind her with the flashing neon sign saying "Fresh Meat". With a small gesture, Lucifer walked past her to the restaurant door.

"This place looks promising."

Chloe whirled around. "Lucifer- you-" She rolled her eyes and marched into the restaurant with him.

It wasn't very occupied, although evidence of the dinner rush remained behind on the tables. More than a few of the square tables were dirty and littered with dishes.

One girl with her dark hair tied up in a high ponytail darted between the tables, trying to tidy everything up as quickly as she could. When she spotted Lucifer and Chloe, she sighed, hung her head, then gestured at the empty dining room.

"Wherever you want. Someone will be by to take your order soon."

"Fine by me." Lucifer then strode towards a table far from the door and front windows, but with a clear view of both. He took a seat with his back to the counter, facing the front. Chloe sank into the chair across from him and folded her hands on the table.

"Lucifer, are you alright?"

"I'm always alright, detective," Lucifer replied. "But when in the Hellmouth, one cannot be too careful."

Chloe leaned back in her seat, relaxing. "You worry too much."

"Well, you're particularly fragile compared to me," Lucifer replied. "The last thing I want to do is explain to Trixie that mommy was bitten by a vampire. I'll go back to Hell first."

Chloe gave Lucifer a shocked look. "I'm um… not sure if I should take that as an insult against Trixie or a compliment to me?"

Lucifer shrugged. "Up to you."

The same girl that was busy cleaning the tables eventually stopped by and took both their drink and food orders. A couple of moments later, she returned with two plastic cups filled to the brim with ice and coke. After taking a sip of her drink, Chloe leaned forward in her seat, folded her hands, and gave Lucifer a hard look.

"Alright, start talking."

Lucifer blinked as he leaned back in his chair. "Am I being interrogated now? If so, I'd prefer a different setting, as I'm sure you know."

Chloe closed her eyes and sighed. Even when on edge, Lucier couldn't hold back on his innuendos. "What's going on in this town? You were being vague earlier."

"Well, I didn't want those idiot children to know too much, of course." Lucifer sucked on his straw as he took a drink. When he set his glass down, he exhaled. "The more they know the more they will get in the way."

Chloe had to bob her head in agreement. For once, Lucifer was being the responsible adult in the room. She wasn't sure whether she should be glad or troubled.

"Get in the way of what?" She asked.

Lucifer's lips cracked into a grin that almost caused a shiver to run down her spine. Chloe knew that look well. That was the Devil smiling at her now.

"Lucifer, what chaos are you about to unleash?"

"I'm not going to unleash chaos on the town, Detective," Lucifer drawled. "Just on the demon responsible for today's murder."

Ah, that. Chloe could get behind that line of thinking. So long as it led to either an arrest or death of the monster responsible, she was fine with Lucifer's approach. After all, this was no longer a normal case. The supernatural world was not her realm of expertise, even if she had been exposed to it for years (sometimes unknowingly) at this point.

"Okay, you're going to make the demon's life a living hell-"

"I love it when you use that expression."

"Wonderful," Chloe patted the tabletop with her hands. "Who is the demon and how are we going to handle this?"

A more serious expression came over Lucifer's face. He drew in a deep breath through his nose, leaning forward over the table as he let go of his relaxed posture. After taking a careful look at their surroundings, he spoke.

"Idomitus is both one of my finest and worst subjects," Lucifer explained. "He had a keen eye for torture, even keener than Maze. A real prodigy at the subject. So much so that I believe Maze studied some of his tactics, but don't tell her I said that. She'd take offense." He cleared his throat, tucking his chin a moment as he no doubt pictured an offended Mazikeen. "However, he… enjoyed his job a bit too much."

"He went overboard," Chloe surmised. "Even for you."

Lucifer nodded. "I stripped him of his position as a result. Don't get me wrong, I have no issue with torturing those who deserve punishment, but I do believe the punishment should equal the crime. Indomitus would peel the skin off of a simple thief, rather than something a bit less cruel. Do things like that, and I get calls from Heaven asking what is going on in Hell. Rather annoying, as I'm sure you can guess."

"I wouldn't want my parents calling me and complaining about my work either."

"Exactly," Lucifer said with an appreciative gesture to Chloe. "Anywho, as punishment for his transgressions, I sentenced Indomitus to the mortal plane, where he could do as he pleased so long as he didn't get caught. During that time, he took an interest in Vampires. He inhabited one named Liam O'Conner after the poor boy was bitten, as is what happens when Vampires are sired." Did Chloe's eyes betray her, or did she see a ghost of a smile cross Lucifer's lips? "The things Indomitus did would make any demon proud."

"But would it make an angel proud?" Chloe pressed.

Lucifer grimaced. "There's the crux of the issue. While I can admire his handiwork, when he starts touching my father's more devoted followers, I cannot allow that. Again, too much negative attention from the old man."

"What exactly did he do?"

Chloe saw Lucifer shudder. He actually shuddered. Whatever Indomitus did must've been terrible enough to bring about God's wrath on Lucifer.

"He," Lucifer began, "decided to create a masterpiece. His magnum opus of corruption, so to speak. There was a particularly devout woman he targeted." Lucifer's gaze turned distant. "What he did to her broke her. She almost willingly became a Vampire, sired by him, as a result," His gaze darted back to Chloe. "We've already discussed her today too."

Chloe furrowed her brow, trying to recall the details of their conversation with those teenagers from earlier. "Drusilla?"

Lucifer nodded. "Drusilla. Once sired, she matched Liam O'Conner's cruelty and beastliness. They were quite the team for a couple of centuries. But, they weren't always together. Indomitus always enjoyed the solitary work corruption and siring allows. So, when he was far away from Drusilla, one day, he picked the wrong target. He went after a gypsy woman. As she died, she cursed him with a powerful enough curse to expel Indomitus from Liam O'Conner's body, thus returning the original soul."

"And Liam O'Conner…?"

The waitress returned with their food, forcing their conversation to pause for a moment. Chloe's mouth watered. Perhaps she was hungrier than she thought.

She ordered a simple cheeseburger with bacon on it and french fries. While she doubted it would be the best cheeseburger, it looked appetizing. Lucifer regarded his food with indifference. He had that luxury, thanks to being immortal and not needing to fulfill human needs.

"Lucifer?" Chloe said between bites of her burger.

"Right well," Lucifer shifted in his seat. "Liam was appalled by what he had done as a vampire. At that point, I sort of lost track of him. He'd pop up from time to time, whenever he accidentally deviated from his self-imposed penance. But he wasn't the pure terror that he had been. Drusilla, on the other hand…"

Chloe munched on a french fry. "She replaced him."

"Precisely," Lucifer huffed. "Having those two in the same place at the same time is already a bad thing. Having Indomitus re-inhabit Liam O'Conner's body as well is a recipe for disaster and death."

Chloe nodded. Sounded like some serious supernaturally dangerous stuff. Nothing new there. But, one thing did not make sense to her still.

"How do those kids fit into this?" She asked.

Lucifer blinked. "Ah, well, Miss Buffy Summers is the Slayer. Specifically, she is a Daughter of Senaya. They are girls chosen by the powers that be to hunt down and slay the demonic. Depending on the culture, it can either grant the woman godhood or cause her to be burnt at the stake. I've seen both happen plenty of times."

Now it was Chloe's turn to shudder. "I'm guessing Slayers don't last long."

"Not particularly, no. A few years at most before they are killed and a new one is chosen," Lucifer explained. For the first time during the entire conversation, he picked up a french fry and ate it. "Bloody hell, what did they fry this thing in?"

"Canola oil, probably." Chloe covered her mouth as a silent belch slipped from her lips. She shook her head, sipped her coke, then returned her attention to the conversation. "So, now that we know all of this, what's next?"

"What's next?" Lucifer drummed his fingers against the table. "Well, Indomitus may prove difficult to find. He's learned his lesson on being too overt with his actions. But… Drusilla has not. If we can find her, we might find Indomitus."

"Then we're dealing with two demons at once, right?" Chloe pointed out.

Lucifer snorted. "They're demons, and I'm the Devil. So long as you stick by me, there won't be an issue. Just some sore feelings and probably some harsh words as I send them back to Hell."

Chloe nodded. "And the children?"

Lucifer smiled. "It's not like they have my ability to track down demons. We should be able to…" He trailed off a moment, his amusement evaporating as his face twisted in startled realization. Chloe paused mid-bite into a french fry. "Oh, those little nitwits have a Witch. I was wondering why that other girl was able to escape my eye so easily!"

He shot up from his seat, startling Chloe.

"Luc-Lucifer," Chloe grabbed a pair of fries, shoved them in her mouth, then slapped a twenty-dollar bill on the table. She raced after him as he strode to the door. "Lucifer what are you doing now?"

"Apparently I'm about to rescue the Slayer, which is a bit counterproductive to my actual job, but your morality has rubbed off on me," He grumbled. "Follow me. I know where they'll be at."

Chloe's mouth fell open. "Rescue the-" Realization smacked her. "Oh, those little idiots."

"Exactly!"

Buffy the Slayer

Finding Spike and his den of Vampires was not hard, especially for Buffy. All she had to do was wait until nightfall, step out into the open, and walk around. She may as well be a beacon. A blinking signal for all of the bloodsuckers to come scurrying out in search of a status-defining kill. Spike and his gang certainly took the opportunity, and it just so happened to occur right outside a building Buffy assumed to be their lair.

Unfortunately for them. She drilled a stake through the heart of a Vamp she just knocked out with a massive left hook. I've got sharp sticks.

A deep snarl sounded behind Buffy. She twirled around, wrenching another stake from within her jacket. She jammed it through an attacking Vampire's black heart, making it shudder then fall. Within seconds, it evaporated into dust.

Buffy wrinkled her nose. Good thing I don't have allergies.

A long breath puffed from her lips, blowing a lock of her blonde hair out of her face. Where exactly was Spike? This was his gang. She knew it was. So why was he not attacking her? The lack of a frontal assault by her biggest enemy made her antsy.

Then again, Spike has been my most unconventional foe.

Buffy continued her careful walk through the lair, stepping around old, beat-up furniture and flickering lamps. Her eyes flicked to and fro, from one deep shadow to the next. Her muscles were tense, ready to act, ready to stab any vampire through the heart. Her throat bobbed when she reached the end of the room.

A door sat ajar in front of her, a small sliver of lamplight leaking through the crack. Buffy cautiously approached, pressing her back to the wall when she reached the door. She glanced through the gap, scanning the room beyond for any sign of Vampires.

Nothing. Just a few empty chairs, one of them knocked over; an old television with static crackling over the screen; a coffee table with legs splintering all over the place; and a few stray mugs with crimson stains on the lips. Those made Buffy's stomach roll. She didn't have to guess what the Vampires were enjoying before she barged in here.

But where are Spike and Drusilla?

This was the last room in the lair she could investigate. Willow, Xander, and Giles were busy dealing with the rest of the lair. No sounds of alarm from them either, which meant they were fine. That put Buffy at ease a little bit.

But, for some reason, those enigmatic senses she did not fully comprehend yet flared to life. She shot back from the wall, a stake gripped tightly in her right hand as she looked around her, searching for the source of her unease.

Slow footsteps entered the room from behind her. Buffy froze when she heard quiet snickering.

"Hello, Slayer…" A woman drawled.

Buffy felt a cold sweat build on her brow. Spike was not here… Drusilla was. The situation just became a lot more dangerous. She knew how to handle Spike. She knew how to goad him into making a mistake, how to slip past his traps, how to handle him in a straight-up fight. He was, at the very least, a little predictable when push came to shove.

But Drusilla… Buffy did not recall combating Drusilla before.

Carefully, Buffy turned on her heel. Drusilla stood at the far end of the room, wearing a white gown that billowed around her slight form like some sort of damsel in distress. Quite the ironic look for such a terrifying monster. She was like a Venus Fly-Trap in that way. Physically inviting, even sympathetic to look at, but get too close and her jaws would devour you.

"Hey there," Buffy replied, swallowing her fear and putting up a confident facade. She could never show weakness to a Vampire. They were sort of like animals, that way. Show weakness to a predatory animal, and it will strike. Display confidence, and it will wait, wondering why its prey was so at ease. "Lovely night for a little vampire hunt, don't you think?"

Drusilla said nothing. Her eyes focused on Buffy. It almost looked like she was sleep-walking, her gaze half-lidded and body swaying. But, there was a purpose to her movements. The way the vampire tilted her head when she looked at Buffy made Buffy's skin crawl. Something was horribly wrong with this one. All of the other vampires Buffy encountered were confident and loud, except for Spike who was both of those things but tempered it with cunning.

Drusilla though… her approach made Buffy stay still and wait.

"Alright," Buffy nodded when Drusilla said nothing. "Maybe it isn't the best night for a vampire hunt, for you. I mean, the reason for that is obvious." Drusilla took a staggering step towards Buffy, and Buffy found herself flinching from the jerky movement. Drusilla entered the room with such grace, but that was gone when she locked eyes with Buffy. "Um… look, I don't think I want to fight you, right now? So, I'll just be on my way, but I need to know where Angel is first."

Drusilla's half-lidded eyes opened a little wider. "Daddy?" She said, her voice mirroring that of a little girl wondering about a parent. It was enough to make Buffy shiver.

Buffy's throat tightened. "Um, okay then, yeah." Her lips thinned. Was Drusilla even worth talking to? "I won't even get into how creepy that was, so let's get to the point. Do you know where Angel is?"

"I would like to know that as well, Drusilla."

Drusilla froze. Buffy half expected either Spike or Angel to burst into the room, ready to attack her. But, the reaction from Drusilla told Buffy that was not going to happen. Drusilla would not stiffen and look so fearful if one of her allies was near. So who was here?

Out of the shadows, the Devil manifested, wearing his sharp, black suit with a scarlet dress shirt. He finished buttoning his coat in front of him, adjusted his sleeves, then flashed a white smile at the Vampire.

"Well, look at you," Lucifer drawled. "Still pulling off the damsel in distress routine? I know many would be appalled but I must applaud your effectiveness and consistency. That petrified look in your gaze almost has me convinced."

Buffy gulped. "L-Lucifer?"

Lucifer glanced at her, his smile wavering a little. "Oh, hello there, Daughter of Senaya."

"Buffy," Buffy corrected.

Lucifer gave her a sneer. "We aren't quite at that stage in our relationship yet, dearest. In fact, I only call three people by their actual names, and you are nowhere near their level in my eyes."

"Police!" Buffy heard a pistol cock in the darkness. Behind Drusilla, Detective Decker appeared in the flickering lamplight, her gun aimed at the Vampire's back. "Down on your knees! Hands on your head!"

Lucifer rolled his eyes. "Detective, you do realize that's not going to work on her."

Drusilla whirled around. Her face warped into a hideous vampiric mask as she readied to strike at Detective Decker. But, both Buffy and Lucifer acted first.

Buffy shot across the room, grasping Drusilla by her wrist and staying her hand. Instead of moving to stop Drusilla, Lucifer's sharp voice snapped out, causing the hairs on the back of Buffy's neck to stand on end.

"Enough of that!" The Devil took two powerful strides before he glowered over Drusilla. The vampire's already pale complexion drained of all color. "Run along now, dear. Be grateful I'm not after you tonight."

Drusilla did not argue or fuss. She shot a dark glare at Buffy, wrenched her wrist free from the Slayer's iron grip, then rushed out of the room, disappearing into the dark corridor behind Detective Decker. When she was gone, Detective Decker lowered her weapon.

"I could've arrested her," She told Lucifer.

"Yes, you could have. And, she would have escaped in a couple of hours leaving several dozen bodies in her wake." Lucifer rolled his shoulders as he spoke. "This way was better. Besides, Drusilla is not our target."

"But we could have held her for information on where Indomitus is."

Buffy furrowed her brow, puzzled. Who in the world was Indomitus?

"Au contraire, Detective." Lucifer's eyes twinkled. "We know Drusilla has no clue where he is. If she did, well… she would have mocked the blonde idiot over there."

"Hey!" Buffy exclaimed. "I had the entire situation under control until you showed up and-"

"And saved your life because Drusilla is out of your league, at the moment," Lucifer interrupted, forcing any protests Buffy had back down her throat. "You know it too. Her little boyfriend Spike may be simpler for you to handle, but Drusilla is another beast entirely, as is Liam O'Conner. You're better off to let me and the Detective handle this."

Buffy's jaw worked back and forth as Lucifer turned away and walked to Detective Decker. They were going to leave, she knew it. They were going to go find Angel, get to him before she could, and kill him.

No. Buffy shook her head. Her heart pounded with fear and worry. I won't allow that.

"What are you going to do to him?" Buffy called after Lucifer, making the Devil stop in his tracks. Slowly, Lucifer turned to look at her. "I need to know."

"No, you don't. You don't need to know anything. With how rash you were tonight, you don't even deserve to know," Lucifer snarled. Buffy suppressed an eye roll. Now he sounded like a sterner version of Giles. What is it with Englishmen trying to act like her parents?

In a flash, Lucifer was in front of her, startling Buffy. The lights flickered all around them, casting a brief pale glow over the Devil. Buffy's eyes moved up his tall, lean form. She thought she would see his admittedly handsome face with a smarmy smile creased over his lips.

Instead, what she saw would haunt her nightmares for the rest of her life. The Devil's mask was gone. In its place was his true face. A bloody visage of scar tissue. A pulsing mass of scarlet, crimson, and red, with black, beady eyes embedded within the skull. Fanged teeth snarled at her, and a deep hiss slipped into her ears, making her blood run cold.

"Would you be prepared for this, Slayer?" The Devil growled, voice reverberating through her skull. All around Buffy, the shadows yawned deeper and longer, engulfing what little light flickered within the room. "You are not dealing with any normal Vampire when it comes to Liam O'Conner. You are dealing with Indomitus; one of my finest servants. Also, one that is the least likely to listen to me."

Buffy wanted to squeeze her eyes shut. She wanted to curl into a ball and be the scared teenager that she really was. But, she remained firm, standing tall and looking the Devil in the eye. After all, he was just another demon, right? Just another Vampire, but more powerful than all of the others, even the Master. She would not show weakness.

His fangs cracked into a knowing smile. A low hum rumbled from Lucifer. "Perhaps you may be able to do something."

"Lucifer?" Detective Decker hesitantly said from her spot near the door.

Buffy glanced at the Detective, who looked rattled and anxious. Even someone who knew the Devil well did not enjoy seeing his true form. That was a small comfort for Buffy. She could say she was a little mentally stronger than a hardened LA detective.

I wonder if Xander and Willow will believe that?

When she returned her attention to Lucifer, she blinked in surprise. The terrifying visage of the Devil was gone, replaced with the charming, handsome mug and its pearly smile. Lucifer sniffed, smirked, then reached up and ruffled her hair. Her hair!

Oh, if he was a normal demon he would be dead. Buffy thought with clenched teeth and balled fists.

"You have some backbone, you little scamp," Lucifer exhaled and straightened his suit again. "Detective, Drusilla does not know where Liam O'Conner is, but I think I have figured out a way of finding him."

Detective Decker furrowed her brow. "What did you have in mind?" She asked as she lowered her pistol.

Buffy blinked. Did the Detective seriously have her weapon aimed at Lucifer the entire time? Maybe they weren't as close as she thought. Or, more likely, the Detective was more afraid than she showed. Was Lucifer scaring the pants off of anyone who pissed him off a regular occurrence? Buffy wasn't sure if she wanted to find out.

Lucifer gestured at Buffy, dragging the Slayer from her thoughts and causing her to blink in surprise.

"A good old-fashioned trap, of course," Lucifer said, grinning ear to ear like a madman.

Detective Decker's eyes widened. "Lucifer…"

"Do you have a better idea, Detective?"

"She's a teenager."

"Exactly. It makes sense for her to do something impulsive and stupid," Lucifer remarked with a snap of his fingers. Buffy scowled. She wasn't that impulsive, and she certainly wasn't stupid. "No one will think twice if she's at the epicenter of some otherworldly shenanigans. I'm sure the local police will write it all off as regular teenage mischief too."

"What are you two talking about?" Buffy asked. "If it involves me then I'd like to know if I have a say in any of this."

"You don't," Lucifer automatically replied.

"Of course you do," Detective Decker countered, making Lucifer's lips thin. The Detective holstered her pistol and placed her hands on her hips. "I'm not going to force her to be bait in a trap, Lucifer."

"Bait!?" Buffy cried.

"Only the best kind," Lucifer replied, deciding not to deal with Detective Decker and focus all of his attention on her. "You'll do it too. I know you will, because… I know your deepest desires. But go on, say it out loud."

Something tugged on Buffy's mind and heart. It grasped at her with cold claws, digging into her thoughts and probing through them life hands rifling through a filing cabinet. Without even thinking, she blurted out what she wanted.

"I want to save Angel," She whispered, lips quivering.

Lucifer's lips curled into a smile. "There you have it, Detective. She'll do it." He stared Buffy in the eyes. "If you want to save Liam O'Conner, you are going to do exactly as I say when I say it. Am I clear?"

Buffy swallowed hard. "What happens if I don't?"

Lucifer gave her a strained smile. "A bloody death for yourself and your crush." Buffy's heart stopped in her chest. "This is your one chance, Daughter of Senaya. Best make it count."

With that, Lucifer spun on his heel and marched for the exit. Buffy remained rooted in her spot, paralyzed. Detective Decker's gaze fell on her. With a sigh, the woman approached Buffy and gave her a small nod.

"This is just how he works sometimes," Decker reassured Buffy. She placed a hand on Buffy's shoulder. "Come on. He wants us to follow him."

Following the Devil; that was a new one, even for Buffy. Giles, Xander, and Willow would all argue against this.

But... if it meant she could save Angel, then she would gladly follow him to Hell and back.